In today’s films we see a wide range of what type of films are made and how they are made. Throughout time advances in technology has really impacted the way we view films. From special effects to simple things like prop manufacturing can really change each and every scene. TCM uses many different makeup and camera angles to help depict the horror feeling into the audience, along with the true story effect. On the other hand, HOFD uses globalization and many different uses of special affects to catch the audience’s attention. It comes to what’s reality and what’s fiction.
TCM was seen as the gateway to horror films and had improved and set the bar for the future. In this time period of the 70’s horror films were clearly made under budget with a lack in the story line. However, TCM had a strong start with a true story foundation that struck fear into the viewers before the even watched it. They also used more advanced methods of makeup and design to help their film stand out. With these new processes in place they were able to create scarier scenes, add a lot more extreme gore, and suspense. The producers and marketers made sure that they played to the audience’s likings, the would peruse certain theaters to help maximize profits. Even using a very rural environment helped the horror scenes and the money aspect. Since it was shot in Texas the scorching heat of August made the production famously arduous ordeal. The intensity of the set made the cast sets that much more realistic. It was said that degrees of 125 were an ongoing thing through the filming. The cast and crew can recall the rapidly rotting meat in the dressing smelling up the whole set. They claimed that getting these scenes over as fast as possible was ideal. This film was not seen respectable at the time, basically disreputable so playing off the audience, time period, and even things like marijuana to create a popular film. For the most part they connected their film to the current trends in society. In one’s eyes they might question what a “cheap” film is. This film shows actual emotions and clearly tells the true horror story of what went down. It is seen as the perfect horror film and is one of the most emulated genre films since it came out. Hooper uses post-Watergate and post-Vietnam cultural to connect the era to the film politically.
On the other side of the spectrum the movie HOFD used expensive thrills with lots of computer animation and special effects to create an art/commercial film on a national scale. It was said by Stephen Hunter that “it’s not like going to a movie so much as going to a truly superb brothel. That is, pleasure is available in every room, in every configuration, in all possibilities, in polymorphic abandon. It doesn’t treat you gently, it ravishes you.” He emphasizes the romantic adventure feel with nobility and betrayal throughout. Love and conflict seems to be the main emotion through the film but both appear to have a deeper meaning. These are the attention grabbers that get the possible viewers wanting more. This movie does a good job on a national level because director Zhang Yimou started his American popularity in the 1990’s. These Asian/Chinese inspired films with mass amounts of special effect, art, and cultural history are styles to have started becoming adapted around the world. This audience is reached through emotion and spectacle, using the trends of their crafted art. Politically, China has been seemed as a communist state, a mix repressive communism to a hard core capitalism. The film industry still confines to many restrictions to what they feel should be an open national market.
These two movies have obvious differences; genre, budget, story, and etc. One has scenes of striking imagines not view-able to the virgin eye where the other uses beauty and culture to represent love. However, it’s the similarities that helped both these movies become what they are known for today. HOFD works through a glorious tale with forbidden love where TCM plays on non-fiction and horror to get viewers involved. It was these specific emotions in both films that made people love the movies. They both hit a hard emotion that people would generally stay clear of. They innovate their genres with this and spectacle tying in a rural and cosmopolitan settings. All in all, these films had and still have a huge impact on their genre with being huge money making classics.
Dallas, the beginning of your post caught my attention because I too wrote about special effects and how technology impacts the way the audience views the film. I liked learning about the conditions TCM took place. Actually taking place in Texas, in August, giving the reality of the heat is what gives the film its authentic feel. I cannot believe that, at one time it was 125 degrees on set. I think it’s a good idea to add in these types of detail because, in the end, it really helps a movie. So, I will take that bit of information with me and see if I can find that type of detail for my next two films.
Hello Dallas,
I enjoyed your response to Texas Chainsaw Massacre very much because I found that you had similar things to say as me. Texas Chainsaw Massacre did use many interesting camera angles in order to show the chilling setting that the poor teenagers had somehow found themselves in. I really enjoyed your review because it definitely shows that not all films have to end with a happy ending, or have some bright side for the audience to look forward to. I also enjoyed how you stated that House of Flying Daggers was on the opposite of the spectrum and used many CGI effects and had a much higher budget then the Texas Chainsaw Massacre. I liked this because it shows both side of film making and how you do not need a huge budget and fancy special effects to make a film just as effective.
Hello Dallas,
I have not seen this movie in a very long time. The use of make up I’m movies is very important, in this movie it really amplified the scare factor like you said. The makeup done in terminator is crucial for making Arnold look like an Android in some scenes and the blood from all of the terminators killing. I never knew Texas chainsaw massacre was shot in 125 degree weather and had the smell of rotting bodies, that must have been so terrible for everyone on set. I will be sure to add cool facts such as that into one of my next posts.
I like how you explain how The Texas Chainsaw Massacre used many effects to get it’s point across, as well as the history behind it. I never knew how important it was to the horror movie genre, and it makes sense that it used an actual true story to differentiate itself from other cheesy horror flics of the time. You can see how House of Flying Daggers was able to use this as a jumping off point, without the success that The Texas Chainsaw Massacre had it wouldnt be likely that House of Flying Daggers would have had a budget and wouldnt have been able to use the heavy special effects.